Study Abroad Programs in Dunedin, New Zealand

The University of Otago was established in Dunedin in 1869, making it New Zealand's oldest university. With a focus on the traditional arts and sciences and approximately 22,000 students, the university offers a wide range of courses and student services – from 24-hour computer laboratories to recreational facilities – and more than 100 student clubs and societies. The campus setting is much like that of large universities in North America while still being close to town and providing an unbeatable location from which to explore New Zealand's South Island. Queenstown and the Southern Alps are only a few hours away, and the wildlife and beautiful landscapes of the nearby Otago Peninsula and surrounding region are easily accessible.

LIVE AND LEARN IN A FRIENDLY COLLEGE TOWN WITH A CASUAL VIBE Located near the country’s southern tip, Dunedin is a classic university town—one in five residents are college students. Heritage architecture (like the iconic railway station), natural beauty, and protected wildlife (hello, yellow-eye penguin) are plentiful. New Zealand’s oldest university is a top-ranked research institution with quality academics—professors regularly win awards for teaching excellence. Share a house with a Kiwi host and take advantage of amazing possibilities for outdoor adventure. Day outings and overnights get you out and about, learning the Māori concept of kaitiaki (taking care of the Earth) and exploring dramatic oceanside cliffs, rugged mountains, and unique creatures and plants.

With an estimated population of 106,200 as of June 2020, Dunedin is New Zealand's seventh-most populous urban area. However, for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons, the city has long been considered one of New Zealand's four main centers. The urban area of Dunedin lies on the central-eastern coast of Otago, surrounding the head of Otago Harbor, and the harbor and hills around Dunedin are the remnants of an extinct volcano. The city suburbs extend into the surrounding valleys and hills, onto the isthmus of the Otago Peninsula, and along the shores of the Otago Harbor and the Pacific Ocean. Dunedin features culture differently than most would expect bigger emphasis on literature and a large theater venue, the Regent Theater in the Octagon. Dunedin also has a notable visual arts scene with the Dunedin Public Art Gallery and a dozen other galleries throughout the Octagon. This Octagon is the city's center where business and culture come together.

Study at a university ranked among the top 1% of universities globally! Otago is New Zealand’s oldest university, with world-class facilities and extremely high student satisfaction ratings on all aspects of university life. It’s situated on a residential campus with the majority of students living nearby, in the fun and active seaside college town of Dunedin, allowing ample opportunity to engage with Kiwi life. Its academic offerings, which involve lots of field studies, include strengths in environmental science, law, geology, and political studies. There are thousands of courses available across diverse subjects: anthropology, film and media studies, theater studies, ecology, genetics, biochemistry, bioethics, business, psychology, and physical education. The University of Otago also has one of only two medical schools in the country. Many science courses use the environment around Otago as their laboratory, creating opportunities to get out and experience the real New Zealand. Regardless of the courses you choose, you can expect to look at the world in new ways.